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Releases

FOLK FESTIVAL MASSACRE Something Else (2004)

FOLK FESTIVAL MASSACRE The Patsy (2003)

Recorded Summer 2002. Mixed Fall and Winter 2002 by Dave Newfeld @ Stars and Suns except 78 recorded in the space winter 2001

FOLK FESTIVAL MASSACRE (self-titled) (2000)

Personnel

Alastair MacLeod (vocals, guitar, bass)
Adam Rosen (drums)
Dave Rodgers (guitar)
Duncan MacDonnell (vocals)
Greg Chambers (guitar + Mr. Engineer)
Derek Westerholm (vocals)
Minesh Mandoda (glockenspiel)
Lisa Nighswander (vocals)

MP3's

FOLK FESTIVAL MASSACRE
Something Else (2004)
Promise
Oh Vanna

FOLK FESTIVAL MASSACRE
The Patsy (2003)

Kenora
Texas

About

This record is a significant departure from your earlier FFM material. What inspired the change?
A: Circumstances have dictated that I have less opportunity to pursue certain kinds of musical ventures so therefore the music reflected those conditions. In a way the idea that this is a departure isn't accurate as I had never just tried to be one dimensional in song writing but rather than make a record that has different styles throughout thought it was nice to stick songs that are more stylistically similar all on one record. That way the hopefully the listener can have an ffm record available dependent on their mood. Some of the songs on this record are pretty old. The next record may be a disco record. That would be fun.

How long did it take you to record the new album, and what was the process?
A: I have one person to thank for this record's existence, above all others, and he'd be much more able to answer that question. Greg Chambers produced, recorded and mixed this record at his home studio. I was hardly there for the making of this record. He masterminded the whole thing and organized many of the musicians with a modest amount of input from me. It started at the tag end of summer 2003 and finished up about May 2004 working at a slow but determined pace. It was great working with Greg. He is a saintly individual who really just pursued this out for the pure pleasure of making music and working with his friends.

The punk rock aesthetic has all carried us a long way, but how has it weathered?
A: Who cares? I hate that kind of analysis. It's an interesting question only in that I get to blow it off. I really think you can pick and choose music from any era and find similarities that draw you to it. In that regard the thing that pulled us/me into appreciating punk rock is something that has been around since the dawn of time.

How would you characterize the current state of pop music today? Sublime or Ridiculous?
A: It's hard to say. I can't write it off because there's always good new pop music but since I'm not really paying that much attention it's about as relevant to me as whether celebrity a breaks up with celebrity b. But some of it grabs you and you think "Wow, that's really cool". On the other hand some of it is grating and obtrusive. I'm just glad that the music industry is suffering so much and people are trading music for free because it will, hopefully, help to eliminate forced exposure to heavily bankrolled crap.

Do you every just want to rock and bleed all over the place sometimes?
A: All the time. What a nice question. I also wish I could drink beer all day long too.

Are you playing any shows soon? What's next for FFM?
A: I've given myself over to parenthood for a year and half. After that maybe we'll put the kids up for adoption and I'll be able to play more with other people. I miss it but don't regret it. It's a nice feeling to still want to play music. It reminds me of when I was younger and too self conscious to pursue it but now I'm not self conscious about it, I just have a better excuse for not doing it. In terms of what's next, I would like to play more shows since I have three FFM records worth of songs it would be fun to play them. Beyond that I don't know. When I write more songs I'm sure I'll want to record them. I'm always thinking about it amongst other things

 

 

From Wavelength #14

Driving, edgy, punk-pop rock on this debut from former NECK bassist Alastair MacLeod. Consisting of members of CHRISTIANA and the MEAN RED SPIDERS, this EP has one-pedal-setting fuzz.

Wavelength #14 features the debut of FOLK FESTIVAL MASSACRE, the creation of Toronto artist Alastair MacLeod. Alastair previously played in the Michael J. Fox Tribute Band and Toronto indie-rock veterans NECK. Wavelength correspondent Adam Rosen sent the email out...

Tell me about what the phrase "suffering for your art" means to you.

Alastair: "suffering for you art" is an oxymoron because if you are making art you should be happy about it, but if it's cathartic then sometimes you inflict damage on all involved. That's the road to enlightenment: reaching a higher plane through punk rock.

Give me a brief history of how Folk Festival Massacre came to be.

Alastair: I wanted to pick up where I left off when i stopped playing with Neck. I was still writing songs and they
were the same loud, fast, angst-ridden kind. I wanted to record some and was lucky enough to be able to find that a lot of people were interested in helping me out. Best of all, this is almost like the same band as before except there are only songs by me and there are two guitars instead of one - plus Dave plays bass (awesomely) and I play guitar ( the roles were reversed in Neck). These guys can play really fast!!

Tell me a great story from the recording of Neck's legendary "All
September Long" sessions.

Alastair: I know I was there but somehow it all seems to be a blur. I remember it was December and we were watching the track grinder spray sparks along the railway tracks from the studio window. I remember drinking Winter Brew. The studio was right near the Upper Canada Brewery (r.i.p.) so we were never thirsty.

Dave: This led to absolute chaos-doing twenty takes of a song ( "the HULK" ) and getting fifteen seconds into it at best, not remembering how certain tracks got done, etc.

Alastair: I think I was collecting unemployment at the time, so that really made it special. Everybody who was involved in recording that tape is playing on the new stuff.

If your songs were oil paintings, what types of images would you depict?

Alastair: Maybe the kind you see on those commercials on TV where they sell warehouses full of art. I am going through a Francis Bacon phase now but I don't know if these songs are in the same league. I like encaustics (painting with wax and oils). Actually, the closest would probably be those paintings by
those gorillas in the zoos, except I think they use
acrylics.

For you, what did Michael J. Fox represent?

Alastair: Michael J. Fox is still with us and he still represents the
best Canada has to offer. I remember, at one time, he said he might run for Prime Minister - it would be incredible. Canada could be back on the map in a big way. He could be like FDR: a world leader rising above his disability

What sort of environmental/psychological damage can we expect you to inflict upon those who witness your live
show?

Dave: One of the missions of this band is to assault the audiences' senses as much as possible. There will be much
blood, sweat and tears- of joy!

Alastair: I will spray blood on anyone who gets to close to the stage.